Capability

Why Local Politics Matter When You Relocate

by

Right now there's a lot of talk about Arizona's recent immigration laws – as well as additional laws and policies following it.  To summarize as easy as I can:

  • The governor signed a bill that extended police power to detain/question people over citizenship with reasonable suspicion.  The interpretation of this – and some potential modifications – make it more complicated.  The law is quite controversial as it seems to invite profiling (though people I know in Arizona says it's less change than people may think).
  • A bill that would limit ethnic studies (and oddly lump it in with other things)
  • An education department policy on teachers with accents that could lead to teachers being fired or limited in teaching.  I find this ridiculous as I live in an area with tons of accents.

Yes, if you read about these laws, you'd get the impression that there's some racial and ethnic animosity here.  I sadly come to the same conclusion, am sure that this is going to be a giant political powderkeg, and that there will be much fallout in the future. 

But ask yourself this (before I turn this into a Frustration Friday), would you have heard of this if it wasn't national news?  I don't think you would.

Read more

Weekly Challenge: Trends And You

by

Think about your current or ideal job (let us hope they're the same thing, but if not pick one).  Write down the major trends you've seen in this current or ideal career for as long as you can remember (even before you started doing it).  For instance, in the world of video games I've seen trends like:

  • Social Media
  • Everything Must Be Multiplayer
  • Everything Must Be a First-Person Shooter
  • Everything Must Be Set in World Wor II or an analogue
  • We Need a Mascot Like Mario or Sonic
  • Skirting the Edge of Controversy
  • Fishing Minigame In Everything
  • Point And Click Adventure Mania

 . . . and so on.

Now look at those trends you listed.  Which of them turned out to have legs and last – and which ones didn't last or do you expect to flame out?

Now which of these affected or could affect your career?  Are you prepared for the repercussions?  How can they affect you – positively and negatively?

Keeping track of trends (and their short-attention span siblings, fads) is important to do in your current job or your dream careers.  They will affect you – woe to the professional who forgets what is a fad and what is a trend, and what is past and what is future.

So try this exercise now and then, just in case.

(And for that matter, I think World War II games aren't going away, they've achieved a kind of mythology.  But I've noted the Search for New Mascots tends to flame out very easy so I'm always wary of them. . .)

– Steven Savage

If Instead of Cannot

by

Many years ago, when I was a Senior Programmer with a consulting company, one of my clients commented that I never said anything was impossible – I never said "No, it cannot be done."

Now of course there are times in my career I have said no.  And when I said things could be done, I also noted the costs – which is a way of saying "I can do this, but boy is it going to cost you or disappoint you."  However the fact is that in your career, "it cannot be done" is not something you want to say to anyone – including yourself.

Read more